The long-anticipated rocketry lab for UCI Rocket Project finally had its grand opening on Friday, February 23, 2018. The lab, which is located on the side of the famous Engineering Tower, room ET110, accessible from Aldrich Park, is made possible by the generous donation of Base 11. The lab is over 150 feet in length, and equipped with necessary work tables and powerful computers that can aid this continuously growing student project.
During the grand opening, UCI welcomed some of the most important figures, including the Dean of School of Engineering, who gave a short speech announcing the official opening of the lab. In his speech, Dean Washington was optimistic about the potential of UCI Rocket Project, and he believed that UCI will be the first university that can set a record for the highest apogee among nationwide universities, and ultimately put a rocket into space. Joined by the Dean and the professors were countless students, where they were given a brief tour and had their questions answered by our team members. It was at those moments that some discovered their passion in rocketry, and expressed an interest in joining the Rocket Project next year.
On May 5th, UCI Rocket Team will enter the FAR/MAR competition where the team will deliver a rocket capable of reaching 45000 feet using liquid oxygen and liquid methane as propellants. With the new resources offered by the new lab, team members are even more motivated to complete the project before the competition date. Project manager Stephen Moes expressed his confidence in the team’s capability of winning the competition thanks to the funds and resources the team received, which is a major stepping stone for the team to achieve the greatest of student-made rocketry, putting a rocket into space.
At the end of the ceremony, all students present in the lab showed their resounding and unified “Zot” to show their support to the UCI Rocket Project and its ultimate mission to achieve groundbreaking greatness. UCI School of Engineering, as well as the engineering industry now officially welcomes Rocket Project as one of the most contributive senior design projects to the school’s reputation.